The academy grounds had never been so quiet.
No, this silence felt wrong—heavy, suffocating.
Kael leaned against the wall of the eastern wing, arms crossed.
Above him, the grand clock tower lood.
Around him, whispers floated—
"Did you hear about Xyl? He… he couldn’t control it—nearly killed soone in training," a girl’s voice trembled.
"They’re saying he took one of those pills. You know, those pills," another replied, barely above a whisper.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
His gaze shifted to the courtyard below, where groups of students milled about, their laughter forced, their movents jittery.
The tension was palpable, crawling under his skin.
"Another one," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
It wasn’t the first incident.
In the past week alone, three students had succumbed to the Abyssal, unnatural power that had started to plague the academy.
They gained strength, speed, and abilities that defied their natural limits, but the cost was horrifying—loss of control, twisted personalities, and in so cases, complete madness.
"Kael," a voice called softly, breaking his thoughts. He turned to see shirone approaching.
She was dressed in her usual training attire, but her posture was tense, her sword strapped tightly to her back.
"What is it?" Kael asked, his tone neutral.
"There’s been another report. In the west wing this ti," she said, her violet eyes eting his.
"They found a second-year passed out, his hands covered in… blood. They’re not saying it officially, but everyone knows it’s the sa thing. Another pill user."
Kael exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.
"It’s spreading faster than I thought," he muttered, more to himself.
Lumia took a step closer, lowering her voice.
"Kael, we can’t just sit around waiting for the professors to handle this. They’re hiding sothing—I can feel it. And if we wait too long, more students are going to get hurt. Or worse." Lumia said.
Kael’s gaze hardened.
He knew she was right.
The faculty’s silence was deafening, their refusal to address the growing threat only fueling the students’ fear.
It didn’t help that so of the professors seed unusually tense.
"You’re suggesting we investigate this ourselves... are we that powerful," Kael said, his voice low.
"I’m saying we don’t have a choice," lumia replied, crossing her arms.
"You’ve noticed it too, haven’t you? The aura around the affected students—it’s not just mana overload. It’s… darker. Corrupted."
’She have good intuition as expected,’
Kael studied Lumia for a long mont, her determined gaze unwavering. He admired her courage, but this wasn’t her fight.
She will get her killed.
"I’ll check it out," he said finally, his tone asured. "Alone."
Lumia frowned, crossing her arms. "Alone? You think I’m just going to sit back while you—"
"Lumia," Kael interrupted, his voice firm yet calm, "You are weak,"
Her eyes narrowed.
Kael sighed, leaning slightly against the wall.
Lumia hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line.
He could see the conflict in her eyes.
As Lumia walked away, her purple hair catching the fading sunlight, Kael exhaled and turned toward the shadowy paths leading to the western grounds.
.....
The training grounds were desolate.
Kael stopped in the center of the clearing, his senses sharp.
He wasn’t alone.
"Stellan," Kael called out, his voice echoing in the stillness.
"I know you’re here. Stop hiding."
From the shadows, Stellan erged.
Kael’s sharp gaze locked onto Stellan as the second-year president stepped into the clearing.
"Fight with ," kael said.
The air between them crackled with tension, but Stellan wore a calm expression, his posture regal yet intimidating.
"You’ve been digging where you shouldn’t, Kael," Stellan said, unsheathing his blade with deliberate slowness. "And now you’ve stepped into a fight you’re not ready for."
Kael smirked faintly, rolling his shoulders as Aethral Fang humd in his hand.
"Big words from soone who’s about to lose."
The atmosphere shifted as Stellan lunged, closing the gap between them with lightning speed.
His sword lashed out, its arc precise and deadly, aiming to take Kael off guard.
But Kael didn’t move to block; instead, he sidestepped at the last mont, the edge of Stellan’s blade slicing through empty air.
Kael retaliated instantly, his sword flashing upward in a controlled arc.
CLANK
Stellan barely managed to parry, sparks flying as the two blades clashed.
Their movents were fluid, a dance of strikes and counters, but it beca clear within monts that Kael was dictating the rhythm of the fight.
Stellan frowned as he stepped back, assessing Kael with narrowed eyes. "You’re quicker than I expected."
Kael tilted his head slightly, the smirk never leaving his face. "And you’re slower than I hoped."
Stellan growled, his blade glowing faintly as he channeled mana into it.
He surged forward, his strikes now heavier and more aggressive, but Kael remained unfazed.
Each of Stellan’s swings was t with a perfectly tid parry or dodge, leaving him more frustrated with every failed attempt.
Kael seized the opening when Stellan’s frustration peaked.
He sidestepped another overly forceful strike and spun behind him, slamming the flat of his blade into the back of Stellan’s knee.
Stellan stumbled, his balance faltering, and Kael capitalized on the mont, driving his foot into Stellan’s chest and sending him sprawling backward.
Before Stellan could recover, the tip of Aethral Fang was at his throat.
Kael stood over him, calm and composed, his voice low but firm. "You’re good, Stellan. But you’re not good enough."
Stellan’s chest heaved as he glared up at Kael. "What do you want?"
Kael pressed the blade slightly closer, his expression darkening.
"I want answers. What have you noticed about these pills? Who’s distributing them, and where are they coming from?"
For a mont, Stellan hesitated, his pride clashing with the threat of Kael’s blade. Finally, he muttered, "There’s a hidden network. They operate out of the old ruins in the forest. But that’s all I know."
Kael studied him for a mont longer before stepping back.
Stellan gritted his teeth but said nothing as Kael turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving the second-year president defeated.
.....
Kael stood alone at the forest’s edge.
The air was still, but there was an unmistakable presence—a faint trace of magic.
He had already given his instructions to his team.
Shirone, Marcus, and Ren were keeping an eye on the first-year students, searching for any signs of vulnerability or suspicious activity.
Stellan, anwhile, was tasked with monitoring the second years. With his team spread out, Kael was left to deal with the figure in the forest.
Leaning against a tree, Kael crossed his arms, his mind drifting to the events in the novel.
This was supposed to be the part where Stellan and Shirone would stumble across the disguised demon together, a beautiful woman hiding her monstrous identity.
Their discovery would lead to a desperate battle, one where they’d be utterly outmatched, highlighting Shirone’s need to grow stronger.
But that mont of realization had already happened for Shirone back at Carol Island.
There was no point in repeating it. Still, Kael thought, this event has to happen for the story to move forward.
His fingers tightened around the hilt of Aethral Fang.
The demon was here, sowhere.
It wasn’t just a matter of exposing them—it was about doing it fast enough to prevent more casualties.
Kael’s jaw clenched.
With a deep breath, Kael pushed off the tree and stepped into the forest.
The shadows seed to stretch toward him as if welcoming his arrival.
His grip on his sword steadied.
He would handle this on his own—quickly, efficiently, and with as little disruption as possible.
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